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Battery cable

BAMCHEROKEE88

NAXJA Member #976
Location
Lancaster,PA
All the positve battery cables I can find (locally) only have a thin wire coming off of them. The original cable has a heavy lead coming off of it. Will the replacement be ok. The stock cable is so different.
 
I replaced my 88 XJ battery cable with a #4 cable. The one from the battery to the starter. I then purchased a 12 or 18 inch #4 cable to go from the POS terminal to the start relay.

ALL the vehicle power, except for the starter, goes through the "little" wire you talk about. Having the wire a larger size is a good thing. There is a guy Craig H who did a write up on boosting the electrical system on an XJ like ours. He also talks of installing a #4 wire from the alternator to the start relay.

I went to my Napa store and purchased the #4 cables, most of the big box stores only had #6 wires in stock. You may also have found the insulation swollen on the POS cable below the oil filter. It hard to see unless you are changing it cause it covered by that plastic conduit. I had mine short out on me while making a 450 mile trip. I luckly was able to get to my destination then find the problem.
 
I was in the same position several weeks ago.The dealer would only sell the cables as a pair and at about $75.
Used replacement cable from NAPA that also had small drop wire,melted end off cable,used a marine style end and re-used the heavy factory drop line.Not a clean factory look but it works.
Wayne
 
Wayne Sihler said:
I was in the same position several weeks ago.The dealer would only sell the cables as a pair and at about $75.
Used replacement cable from NAPA that also had small drop wire,melted end off cable,used a marine style end and re-used the heavy factory drop line.Not a clean factory look but it works.
Wayne

Thats what I was thinking of doing. I just have to double check the drop wires casing to make sure its not cracked like the main cable.
 
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